


Walking Wounded

by enigmaticblue



Series: Entangled 'Verse [3]
Category: Eureka
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-10-06
Updated: 2010-10-06
Packaged: 2017-10-12 11:16:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,558
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/124286
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/enigmaticblue/pseuds/enigmaticblue
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Pulling a muscle is no laughing matter. Set in that one year period during Entangled.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Walking Wounded

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the hc_bingo prompt "muscle strains and spasms."

Nathan picked up his phone on the third ring, answering absently, “Stark here.”

 

“Nate? It’s Allison.”

 

He winced. Six months after arriving in Eureka through a rip in space and time, and he _still_ didn’t know where he stood with her. “Allison. What can I do for you?”

 

“Jack injured himself today,” Allison replied. “I need you to make sure he rests.”

 

“What happened now?” Nathan asked with a sigh. It seemed like Jack got hurt every other week on the job here.

 

Allison chuckled. “Jack pulled a groin muscle chasing after a scientist who was caught smuggling out materials. It’s a pretty bad tear, but he won’t need surgery as long as he takes it easy for a few days.”

 

“And you’re calling me because someone needs to sit on him,” Nathan supplied. “I’ll do what I can.”

 

“Thank you, Nate.”

 

“No problem,” Nathan replied. “Thanks for letting me know.”

 

At least he and Allison could agree on one thing, he thought. Both of them wanted to take care of Jack, and in this, they were united.

 

And Nathan knew Jack—he’d come home and hide every sign of injury from Nathan, not wanting to admit how badly he was hurt. This way, Nathan had enough information to help, and Allison knew it.

 

Nathan cleaned up his workbench, making sure that his laptop was powered down and the more sensitive and expensive materials were put away. Blueprints and schematics were locked away in the old-fashioned safe below his workstation, and Nathan made sure the door was secure when he left.

 

Not that anyone would break into his lab; it was off-site and out of the way, in a location well off the beaten path. Nathan doubted that anyone other than Jack and Allison even knew where it was, and because he was only unofficially on the GD payroll, his projects were off the regular reports.

 

For the first time in years, Nathan had complete freedom to do exactly the sort of research he wanted; unfortunately, his operating budget reflected that.

 

He and Allison seemed to have reached an agreement, though—when Jack got hurt, Allison would notify Nathan, and Nathan would sit on the sheriff if necessary. In return, she made certain that he had a few more dollars in his operating fund, and access to supplies.

 

Even after all of that, Nathan still beat Jack home, and he asked SARAH to make sure there were plenty of icepacks ready. “I think the sheriff will need them.”

 

“Of course, Dr. Stark,” SARAH replied. “I was planning on roast beef for dinner. Will that still be satisfactory?”

 

“That will be fine, SARAH,” Nathan replied. “Thank you.”

 

Jack arrived a few minutes later, limping and grimacing as he entered the bunker. “What are you doing home?”

 

“Do you have to ask?”

 

Jack hobbled over to the couch. “Allison called you?”

 

“I’m under strict orders to make sure you rest,” Nathan replied.

 

Jack sat down on the couch, and Nathan pulled Jack’s legs up to rest across his lap. “Nathan,” he protested. “I—”

 

“You’re going to sit tight.” Nathan pulled Jack’s shoes off. “I’ve pulled a groin muscle before, and it’s no fun. If you don’t rest it, you’ll just wind up hurt worse.”

 

Jack grunted as Nathan rose from the couch. “Where are you going?”

 

“You need ice.” Nathan grabbed the ice pack that SARAH had ready for them. “Think of this as a necessary vacation. You never take a day off otherwise.”

 

Jack groaned. “Not you, too. I got the same speech from Allison and Jo.”

 

“Then it must be true.” Nathan settled back down on the couch, pulling Jack’s legs back across his lap. “Ice pack.”

 

Jack grunted as he gingerly settled the ice pack on the inside of his left thigh. “Fuck.”

 

“You want to tell me how you did that?” Nathan asked.

 

Jack grunted. “Allison didn’t tell you?”

 

“Jack.”

 

He sighed. “Jo and I were chasing down one of the scientists near one of the off-site facilities, and I tripped and went down hard. I got hurt.”

 

“You ought to be more careful,” Nathan said, beginning to massage Jack’s calf.

 

“Nathan—”

 

“Especially because you won’t be getting lucky until you’ve healed up,” Nathan continued. He gave Jack a wolfish grin. “That should teach you to take better care of yourself.”

 

Jack gave him a pleading look. “Come on, Nate. It’s not my fault that the scientist who decided to steal materials lettered in track at Tesla.”

 

Nathan pretended to think about it for a moment. “Allison said you needed to rest.”

 

“There are a lot of things we can do while I’m still technically resting,” Jack argued. “Have pity on the injured man.”

 

Nathan chuckled. “Fine, but for right now, you can settle for ice packs and cold beer.” He squeezed Jack’s leg. “You’re too important to risk.”

 

Jack sighed and leaned his head back against the couch. “Well, for right now, you can keep doing what you’re doing.”

 

Nathan dug a little harder into tight muscles. “Does that feel good?”

 

“Yeah, keep going.”

 

Nathan smiled. “Anything you want, Jack.”

 

Jack eased back further into the couch cushions. “Anything?”

 

“Take a nap,” Nathan advised. “SARAH will have dinner ready for you when you wake up, and maybe I’ll let you talk me into doing something more than just sitting.”

 

Jack just grunted, and Nathan knew he was well on his way towards sleep, and that was the best thing for him right now. At least _this_ time the injury was relatively minor.

 

Nathan kept himself busy working through the code for the newest AI iteration. He had a few bugs to work out, but Nathan thought he might be on his way to a working model. If he could get the chipset right, and the programming right….

 

He paused in his work to replace the ice pack on Jack’s leg with a fresh one, and Jack stirred but didn’t wake.

 

Nathan smiled softly. He wanted to let Jack sleep as long as possible, and Nathan moved to the recliner in order to avoid disturbing him.

 

“Dinner is ready, Dr. Stark,” SARAH announced softly around six. “Would you like to wake Sheriff Carter, or would you prefer that I put dinner on hold?”

 

“I’ll wake him,” Nathan replied. “Jack, hey. SARAH has dinner ready.”

 

Jack stirred with a groan. “Oh, man.”

 

“Eat dinner, and you can take your meds,” Nathan promised.

 

Jack scowled. “I hate those things. They make me loopy.”

 

“Good,” Nathan teased. “You’re affectionate when you’re loopy.” He helped Jack up from the couch. “Come on. I’m hungry.”

 

“I’m affectionate all the time!” Jack protested as Nathan helped him to the table.

 

Nathan snorted. “You are.”

 

“I am!” Jack repeated. “I am.”

 

“Sure you are.” Nathan helped him settle at the table. “And you’re going to bed after dinner. You need rest.”

 

Jack tried a leer, but it was somewhat diminished by the pain lines around his eyes and mouth. “Only if you join me.”

 

“I’ll join you,” Nathan promised. “But I have some work to do.”

 

Jack sighed and took the plate Nathan dished up for him. “You’re always working.”

 

“I will take a day off, just for you, _if_ you promise to stay off that leg until Allison clears you for duty.” Nathan took a large bite of roast beef and mashed potatoes. “The garlic is perfect in this, SARAH,” he said once his mouth was clear.

 

“Thank you, Dr. Stark,” SARAH replied primly.

 

“You mean it?” Jack asked, chasing a carrot around his plate. “A whole day off?”

 

“Would you like me to take a blood oath on that, Sheriff?” Nathan asked archly.

 

Jack frowned. “Hey, I haven’t been able to pry you out of your lab for the last week running, and just when I was getting used to having you around, too.”

 

Nathan winced as he looked back over the last week. Jack was right; Nathan _had_ been working long hours, caught up in his research and the pursuit of real results. “Okay, fair point.”

 

“Give me a weekend,” Jack bargained.

 

Nathan snorted. “You know as soon as we plan for a weekend, we’re going to have an emergency to deal with.”

 

“This is Eureka. What can you do?” Jack replied. “It’s the thought that counts.”

 

“If that’s the case, then I think I can promise you a weekend.”

 

Jack rolled his eyes, but Nathan saw his lips curve up in a smile even as he said, “Yes, mother.”

 

“Someone has to keep you in one piece.”

 

“And you’re doing an admirable job.”

 

This time, Jack’s gaze held no humor, only heat, and Nathan groaned. “No fair, Jack.”

 

Jack grinned. “You’re the genius, Nate. You figure out how not to cause further injury.”

 

Nathan knew he probably ought to refuse on principle, but Jack was right; he _was_ a genius. Besides, Nathan knew that positive reinforcement could work wonders.

 

“Eat your dinner,” Nathan ordered. “I’ll think of something.”

 

Jack just smirked. “I like it when you get bossy.”

 

“Eat,” Nathan growled. He figured he had about fifteen minutes before they were done eating. That should be time enough to figure out the perfect plan.

 

Jack might be walked wounded, but Nathan could deal with that. He could deal with anything, just as long as Jack was in one piece.


End file.
